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Elton Manguwo

A NEW beer line. A new lease of life for 3 000 farmers.

Such is the story of Buffalo Brewing Company, a subsidiary of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed Innscor Africa, which is set to empower 3 000 small-scale sorghum growers through contracts to produce sorghum for brewing a new traditional beer – Nyathi.

Managing director of the company Mr Richard Mann yesterday revealed that the company was projecting to take on board 3 000 farmers to produce sorghum, as the company braces to compete against established beer producers.

Small-scale farmers often struggle to get markets, especially for strategic crops in the face of stiff competition from established commercial farmers.

“We will get half of our requirements from 750ha under contract at market price with the rest being sourced from the free market at harvest time,” Mr Mann observed.

The development comes at a time the Government is pushing for the growing of traditional grains under the Presidential Pfumvudza/Intwasa scheme with inputs for the programme being distributed according to soil and climatic dictates of the various agro-ecological regions.

Mr Mann added: “We have contracted just a few farmers but the target is to increase our contracted crop and build the supply from the small-scale market in the coming seasons.”

The coming of Buffalo Brewing Company on to the scene dovetails into the Government’s plan of rural industrialisation through value addition and capacitation of small-scale farmers.

In addition, contract farming is a sure way of promoting the business aspect of agriculture and improves farmers’ access to markets, capital and other important inputs crucial for intensive production while providing manufacturers with a guaranteed supply of raw materials.

Buffalo Brewing Company will provide farmers with the needed input packages to increase their business viability for maximum production.

“The support package will include seed accompanied by the much-needed agronomic backing,” said Mr Mann.

Other than empowering farmers, the company’s gesture is also in sync with the Government’s thrust for businesses to support the production of 40 percent of their raw material requirements and cut on the import bill.

“Contract farming is an important ingredient of the agriculture business, which gives farmers access to markets, capital and other crucial inputs needed for intensive agricultural production,” the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) chief executive officer Mr Clever Isaya commented.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos recently remarked that contract arrangements between private players and farmers were essential in capacitating farmers to produce effectively thereby uplifting them from poverty while paving the way for rural development.